Cocoa powder is made by crushing cocoa beans and by removing the fat and cocoa butter. It is mainly used in the chocolate formation. In spite of used in chocolate, it has many health benefits. Let’s discuss some cocoa powder health benefits for everyone.
Cocoa Powder Health Benefits
Some of the different cocoa powder health benefits are:
1. Cocoa Powder has Polyphenols
Polyphenols are found in fruits, vegetables, tea, chocolates, and wine. It helps in keeping the blood pressure low, better flow in the blood, reduced inflammation, and also to control the cholesterol. As it is found in the cocoa powder, it provides the same benefits to the body.
The percentage of the cocoa powder benefits change with a different product. Did you know Polyphenols have brain flow benefits as well? Studies reveal that cocoa butter supports neuron production, brain function, and improves blood flow. Thus, helping in preventing diseases like; Alzheimer, which is an age-related brain degeneration.
2. Lower Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
As noted earlier, cocoa powder reduces the blood flow as well as improves the cholesterol levels, some studies reduce the chances of heart attack, heart failure, and strokes. It is also rich in Flavonol, which relaxes and dilates arteries and blood vessels helping in the improvement of the blood flow.
3. Reduction in the depression levels
As stated, the cocoa powder helps in better brain functioning, as it contains Polyphenols. This helps in the diversion of thoughts into a positive angel and providing satisfaction. It has caffeine content as well or sensory pleasure of eating a bar of chocolate, in either in the way there are chances that you feel calm and can reduce your stress levels.
4. Controlling and Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
You must be wondering what happens to a person who has diabetes as well because consuming chocolates can only increase the blood sugar level. But in this scenario, researches have proven that if you consume a bar of dark chocolate in small quantities with cocoa powder in the content, it can help in reducing as well as controlling type-2 diabetes.
This is because, flavonols in the cocoa powder can slow down carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gut, or can uptake sugar out of the blood into muscles.
5. Surprisingly Weight Loss
You must be wondering the intake of chocolate increase the weight, but that depends on the chocolate you are consuming. If you are consuming milk and white chocolate, you will allow some calories to enter into your body, but the case differentiates with the dark chocolate as it contains dark cocoa powder as it had lower BMI and thus helps in regulating the use of energy, reducing appetite and feeling of fullness.
Following are some Cocoa Powder Nutrition Health Benefits
Easy ways to add Cocoa as your daily intakes:
1. Dark Chocolates with at least 70% of the cocoa powder is the best and convenient method.
2. Smoothies or Mousse can be converted into a chocolate flavor by adding the percentage of the cocoa powder. Enjoy the taste with benefits.
3. Over fruits, you can sprinkle cocoa powder and experience the unique way of your snack.